TELOYEARS™—A New Genetic Test that Reveals the Cellular Age Encoded
in One’s DNA Is Launched by Telomere Diagnostics

Test lets you discover how well you’re aging based on your
telomeres

October 05, 2016 07:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

MENLO PARK, Calif.--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--Today marks the launch of TeloYears,
a new genetic test that reveals the cellular age encoded in a person’s
DNA. Now available from the company founded by the winner of the 2009
Nobel Prize in Medicine, TeloYears measures the length of one’s telomeres,
the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes that tend to shorten and
fray with age.

“We are excited to launch our new TeloYears genetic test, especially for
those who want to know how well they’re aging at the cellular
level of their DNA”

A simple yet comprehensive indicator of overall cellular wellness, TeloYears
lets consumers go beyond counting how many birthdays have passed to
understanding how well they’re aging. It does this by analyzing
the length of their telomeres, which is a uniquely insightful measure of
the capacity the cells have left to reproduce and thrive.

“We are excited to launch our new TeloYears genetic test, especially for
those who want to know how well they’re aging at the cellular
level of their DNA,” said Jason Shelton, CEO of Telomere Diagnostics.
“We live in a genetic information age that is intersecting with the
growing consumer fitness and health tracking market. TeloYears was
designed to be a simple-to-take, easy-to-understand and affordable way
to reveal actionable and inspiring self-knowledge
that contributes to a healthy, active lifestyle.”

The TeloYears test costs $89 and is available via https://www.teloyears.com.
After an order is placed, a test kit is mailed directly to a customer’s
doorstep. It includes everything needed to collect just one tiny drop of
blood from a finger at home and return the sample to the company’s
CLIA-certified laboratory. In two to three weeks, a TeloYears test
report arrives that reveals the customer’s:

Average telomere length and how it compares (on a percentile basis) to
others the same age and gender.

Age in TeloYears, which is calculated as the actual age of a typical
man or woman whose telomere length is similar. One’s age in TeloYears
can be older or younger than their actual age.

TeloYears results over time by highlighting the difference in actual
age and age in TeloYears each time a test is submitted.

About TeloYears

TeloYears is a simple genetic test that reveals the cellular age encoded
in people’s DNA so they can know how well they’re aging. Using just one
drop of blood from a finger, consumers can discover their age in
TeloYears, which can be older or younger than their actual age.

Knowing one’s age in TeloYears is important because it is a simple yet
comprehensive indicator of overall cellular wellness. Years of clinical
data support the link between telomeres
and the aging process, and many studies have been published on the
role of telomere length in numerous age-related diseases. A key
advantage of telomere length is that it can change over time, unlike
other parts of your DNA. So TeloYears can be more actionable than other
genetic tests. TeloYears results can be used to set a baseline, then
improve and track lifestyle choices including diet, exercise or stress
management. The self-knowledge gained from TeloYears can be powerful
motivation to achieve healthy aging and for some an affirmation of an
already active lifestyle.

Telomere Science in Space: The NASA Twins Study

The ongoing NASA Twins Study evidences scientific interest in telomere
length as a biomarker of healthy aging. It is the first such study to
compare cellular profiles of identical twin astronauts: Captains Scott
Kelly in space and Mark Kelly on Earth. The experiment “Differential
Effects on Telomeres and Telomerase in Twin Astronauts Associated with
Spaceflight,” will assess changes in telomere length and shortening rate
“to provide a deeper understanding of an informative biomarker of aging
and age-related pathologies that captures the interplay between genetics
and lifestyle.1”

About Telomere Diagnostics

Telomere
Diagnostics, Inc. is a privately held molecular testing company
founded in 2010 by a group of four scientists including Dr. Elizabeth
Blackburn, who won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2009 for her
pioneering work in telomere biology. Its lab in Silicon Valley,
California, is regulated under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement
Amendments of 1988 (CLIA) as qualified to perform high complexity
clinical testing. There, the company measures parts of chromosomes
called telomeres, the protective caps on the ends of DNA strands that
tend to shorten and fray with age. Telomere Diagnostics uses its own
proprietary quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay, which
is the world’s leading method of measuring Average Telomere Length
(ATL). Telomere Diagnostics’ principal shareholder is Pradeyrol
Développement, a family office based in Paris, France. Beyond TeloYears,
the company is actively developing other potential uses of ATL to
address unmet clinical needs in cardiovascular disease, oncology, and
reproductive health.

The TeloYears test is not intended for screening, diagnosing,
treating or preventing diseases or medical conditions. The test is
available for individuals between the ages of 20 to 80 within the United
States, except for the state of New York.

The information provided by the TeloYears test should not be used to
replace medically appropriate screening tests recommended based upon
actual age or other risk factors, nor should the information be used to
make decisions about diagnosis or treatment of diseases or medical
conditions. The Telomere Diagnostics lab is regulated under the Clinical
Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA) as qualified to perform
high complexity clinical testing. The performance characteristics of
this test were determined by Telomere Diagnostics. It has not been
cleared or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Test reports are kept absolutely private according to our Privacy
Policy and are available only in a fashion that maintains compliance
with the HIPAA security rule, which regulates privacy and security of
health information.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The TeloYears
launch event featuring guest speaker astronaut Captain Mark Kelly takes
place on October 20, 2016, in New York City. Please contact us for more
information on our breakfast media briefing.